Bombers baseball lets one slip away

May 4, 2013

SARANAC LAKE - With a chance to take down a Class B team and a rival in a much-anticipated road game on April 30, the Lake Placid baseball team came up big at the plate in the top of the sixth inning against Saranac Lake. In the frame, the Blue Bombers broke a 2-2 deadlock by scoring three runs to take a 5-2 lead.

But, in their next at-bat, the Red Storm turned three hits, two walks and a hit batter into six runs to claim an 8-5 victory and improve to 3-4 in the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference. Playing in the inter-divisional matchup, the Blue Bombers suffered their third loss to a Class B opponent and dropped to 3-3 on the season.

Junior Brad Shumway paced the Red Storm's nine-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort at the play and one run scored. Logan Wood and Dylan Gunther also smacked a double each for the winners, and senior captain Nick Bayruns, who has been in a slump at the plate all season, came up with a clutch single in the sixth that sent two runs home for the Red Storm.

Article Photos

Lou Reuter/Lake Placid NewsAlex Brandes of Lake Placid slides safely into third base while his coach and father Brian Brandes signals during the Blue Bombers’ game in Saranac Lake. Also pictured is Saranac Lake’s Trent Fitzgerald.

"There was a 12-inning stretch where we essentially did nothing at the plate," Saranac Lake head coach Bryan Munn said. "We ended that in the sixth inning today. It was a huge inning. We took advantage of the opportunity and got the hits we were looking for since we started the Beekmantown game. It's a little concerning having a long stretch like that where you're not hitting the ball."

Trent Fitzgerald got the win on the mound. He entered the game in the sixth in relief of starter Grant Strack, who appeared to be in control of the game until the Blue Bombers erupted for five hits and three runs in the sixth.

Saranac Lake took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Fitzgerald stole home, but Lake Placid answered with the next two runs. Shane McNierney scored in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Meyer, and Alex Brandes, who finished with three singles, was knocked home on another sacrifice shot to left field in the fourth for a 2-1 Blue Bombers edge.

Jon McCabe scored a run for Saranac Lake in the fifth to knot the contest at 2-2, and the Blue Bombers then turned on the heat offensively in their next at-bat. Paced by Connor Preston's triple, and singles from Brandes, Chris Williams and Kamm Cassidy, Lake Placid jumped out to a 5-2 lead while chasing Strack from the mound.

But the Blue Bombers hopes of avenging last season's loss to Saranac Lake ended one inning later in an onslaught that saw 10 Red Storm batters head to the plate and Lake Placid make two pitching changes. Ryan Damp started on the mound for Lake Placid, and then left in the sixth in favor of freshman Chris Williams. After the Red Storm closed their deficit to 5-4, Meyer replaced Williams and eventually got the Blue Bombers out of the tough inning. The senior was tagged for the loss.

"It's always disappointing losing a game like this, but we had a lot positives today," Lake Placid head coach Brian Brandes said. "We had kids come up with some big hits, and our defense was pretty solid.

"We put our ace in there to close out the game against a Class B school, and they are used to seeing lots of good pitchers," Brandes continued. "Damp was all over, and he kept them at bay a bit, but Meyer he throws hard and puts it right over the plate. Saranac Lake has some good hitters, and they just got hot."

Cassidy also had three singles for the Blue Bombers.

Strack finished with eight strikeouts for Saranac Lake, including six during the first two innings. Neither Red Storm pitcher walked a batter. Six batters reached base for the Red Storm on walks.

"Even in the games we lost, we were in a position to win," Munn said. "If our bats come alive, our chances are great. If not, we've been in trouble. Today, we got hot. Hopefully we can keep that going."

Lake Placid returns to Division II action when they play next at Moriah on May 2. The Blue Bombers will also be at home May 3 against Northeastern Clinton.